Railway signaling device.



C. W. GILES.

RAILWAY SlGNALiNG DEVICE.

APPLICATION HLED JULY 27. I916.

1331,?29. Patented July 3, 1917. 2 SHEETS-SHEET1.

a H 53 M mwm coz W may/mmaz s I %MW/ c. w. GILES RAILWAY SIGNALING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULYZT, 1916, v I 1,931 $29 PatentedI July 3,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z 7 I 46 53 31mm fiw/aa M6ZZ6S I N'fTE STATE PATENT FFllflEi CHARLES W. GILES, OF ATTLEBORO, MASSACI-I'USETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 LOUIS LESCAULT, 0F PAWTUCKET,BHODE ISLAND.

RAILWAY SIGNALING- DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES W. GILES, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of Attleboro, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Signaling Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to railroad signals of the class wherein a torpedo, cartridge or other audible alarm or signal is employed to audibly notify the crew of the train, that the signal they are passing is set against them, and the object of this invention is to provide such a signaling device adapted to be actuated by the positioning of an obstruction or tripper, which may be operated by and in connection with the ordinary railroad signal setting mechanism to prevent accidents occurring by reason of the signal not being seen during foggy and rainy weather or for other causes.

A further object of the invention is to mount the torpedoes on a band wound on a reel and to provide means operated by a depending trigger arm for firing one of these torpedoes when this arm engages a tripper or obstruction set to actuate it.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the operating of the tripper arm also serves to move a fresh torpedo into' position to be detonated.

The invention further consists in the provision of means whereby the operating of the trigger arm feeds the torpedo carrying band, causing the same to be unwound from one reel and wound upon another.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means for preventing an overfeed of the band when actuated by the trigger arm.

With these-and other objects in view, the invention consistsof certain novel features of construction, as will be. more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Inthe accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating my apparatus as inclosed in a casing and applied to an engine and in position to be operated by the setting of the tripper which is actuated by the setting of the caution, danger or other signal.

Fig.2 is a diagrammatic view illustratg 11119 ra w nesses? f th mecha- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, 1917.

Application filed July 27, 1916. Serial No. 111,556.

nism for operating the different signals and showing a tripper as connected to be operated in conjunction with the caution signal and in position to cause a torpedo to be fired by a passing train.

Fig. 3 is a front view of my improved audible signaling apparatus with the anvil and firing pin removed.

Fig. 4- is a side elevation of the same partly in section showing the operating mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a detail showing a portion of the torpedo carrying band.

Fig. 6 is a detail insection showing the reel on which the used portion of the band is wound and illustrating its friction driving connection with the small sprocket wheel. a

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the large sprocket wheel showing the protuberances on its face which are adapted to be engaged by the stop pin to prevent an over-feed of the strip when actuated by the trigger arm.

Fig. 8- is an end view of the sliding trigger member.

Fig. 9 is a side view of the sliding tripper member and illustrating its connection with the operating rod.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates the frame which supports the operating mechanism of my signaling device, and is adapted to be mounted in a suitable casing 11, see Fig. 1, and bolted or otherwise secured to an engine or other railroad vehicle on which the apparatus is designed to be carried. In this frame is mounted an upper shaft 12 and a lower shaft 13. On the upper shaft is fixed a large reel 14 on which is wound a band 15 of tin or other flexible metal or material, which is arranged to carry aseries of spaced apart torpedoes for the purpose of producing a loud noise, that may be readily heard by the engineer or train men to audibly denote that they are passing a signal which has been set against them, which signal they may not have observed owing to unusual atmospheric or other conditions.

On the lower shaft 13 is mounted a smaller reel 17 on which is wound the used portion of the band. In order to operate these reels in time with each other, I have provided a large sprocket wheel 18 on the upper shaft and have connected the same by a sprocket chain 28 with the small sprocket wheel 19 on the lower shaft. This smaller wheel as illustrated in Fig. 6, is provided with a sleeve 20 on which is mounted the smaller reel 14, which reel is bound against a friction washer 21 by; means of the. nut 22, whereby the degree of driving friction between this small sprocket and small reel may be varied to suit conditions, which is.

found to be necessary to compensate for the ever changing difference in the winding circumferences of the two reels, as the band is unwound from one onto the other.

As the band 15 is led from the upper reel to the lower it passes between the anvil 23 and the firing pin 24, which members are supported on the cross frames 27 shown as broken away in Fig. 3. This firing pin is mounted in suitable bearings 25 and is pressed outward by a spring 26 and nor= mally held out of engagement with the torpedoes 16. At the rear of this firing pin is a rebound or firing spring 32 coiled about the pin 29 which pin works freely in the bearing 30 in the frame, the inner end of the pin is provided with an enlarged head 31 pivotally connected to the trigger arm 34, which arm is thus normally held against the firing pin 24.

The actuating or tripping arm 34 is loosely hung on the upper shaft 12 with its lower end 35 extending down side of the rail 36 as best illustrated in Fig.1. The upper end of this arm is provided with an extension 39 carrying a pawl 38 for engaging a ratchet wheel 39 fixed to shaft 12. This arm is provided with a laterally extending portion 40 adapted to engage and normally lie against the firing pin 25.

By this construction it will be seen that when the lower end 35 of this trigger arm is moved to the right it feeds a fresh torpedo 16 through the medium of the ratchet and sprocket drive, into position to be engaged by the firing pin, and when it engages the tripper, the forward motion of the engine carries the arm to compress the spring 32, and throw the lever backward against the firing pin with sufficient force to drive it in and detonate the explosive.

In some cases where the engine is traveling very fast, it is found necessary to provide means for checking or preventing an over-feed of the torpedo band. To accomplish this, I have provided a plurality of protuberances 41 located on the side face of the large sprocket wheel 18 and spaced a distance equal to that of the torpedoes on the band. I have also provided a spring pin 42 whose inner end is arranged to engage these protuberances as presented and prevent an over-feed of the strip. The

spring behind this pin being so tensioned as to permit the pin to recede and allow the protube anc o pass hen under the quick action of the trigger arm.

Any suitable means may be provided for engaging this trigger arm to operate the firing apparatus but for convenience I have provided a block 43 yieldably supported on spring58 and adapted to slide endwise in the frame 44, which frame is supported by the flange 45 on the ties 46 and the blookis connected to the rod 47 through the arm 48 and pin 49 whereby when the operator in the tower 50 throws the lever 51 to set the caution signal'52he operates through the rod 53, crank 54, rod 55, crank 56, rod 47 and crank 57 to'set the signal 52 which motion as best illustrated in Fig. 1 moves v the tripper block 43 into position to be engaged by the trigger arm 34 and fire a torpedo when the engine passes this signal.

It is found of practical advantage to construct the trigger arm 34 so that its end will have a certain amount of yieldability. To accomplish this, I have reduced the arm as at'59 whereby it will yield sufficiently to reduce the shock upon striking the tripper when the train is traveling at a high rate of speed. Then again this arm should have suflicient flexibility so as to permit it to ride over the yielding. tripper if the train should be riding baclnvard past the signal, the tripper 43 itself being rendered more or less yieldable by being placed; upon the springs 58. I

I have illustrated and described one embodiment of my invention but the details of construction may be rearranged as desired mounting said carrier on .a vehicle, and

means for detonating one. of said torpedoesin said carrier whenthe detonating mechanism is engaged by an obstruction positioned in its path of travel.

2. A railway signal apparatus comprising means for carrying a series of torpedoes on a vehicle, means for feeding said torpedoes into position to be detonated, a detonator, and means for operating said detonator to discharge a torpedo while in said carrier when the detonating mechanism is engaged by an obstruction in its path of travel.

3. A railway signal apparatus comprising a band carrying a plurality of torpedoes and adapted to be mounted on a vehicle, a trigger arm, and means whereby the contacting of said arm with an obstruction placed in its path of travel causes one of said apparatus, and means whereby the operating of said arm feeds said band and dis charges one of its torpedoes.

5. In a railroad signaling apparatus, a frame adapted to be mounted on the engine, a pair of reels mounted in said frame, a band stretched between said reels and carrying a plurality of spaced apart torpedoes, a trigger arm depending from said apparatus, and means whereby said arm is caused to detonate one of said torpedoes upon striking a tripper placed in its path of travel.

6. In a railroad signaling apparatus, a frame adapted to be mounted on the engine, a pair of reels mounted in said frame, a band stretched between said reels and carrying a plurality of spaced apart torpedoes, a triggerarm depending from said apparatus, and means whereby said arm is caused to move said reels to feed a fresh torpedo to position and to detonate said torpedo upon striking a tripper placed in its path of travel.

7. In a railroad signal apparatus, a frame adapted to be mounted on the engine, a band carrying a plurality of spaced apart torpedoes, a trigger arm extending from said apparatus and means whereby the movement of said arm by contact with an extraneous object causes one of said torpedoes to be discharged.

8. In a railroad signal apparatus, a frame adapted to be mounted on the engine, a band carrying a plurality of spaced apart torpedoes operatively mounted on said frame, a trigger arm connected to and extending from said apparatus, means whereby the movement of said arm by contact with an extraneous object causesone of said torpedoes to be discharged, and means for preventing an over-feed of said band.

9. In a railroad signal apparatus, a band carrying a plurality of spaced apart torpedoes, a pair of reels on which said band is operatively mounted, means for driving said reels in time with each other, means for moimting said apparatus on a motor vehicle, an operating member connected to and extending from said apparatus, and means whereby the contacting of said member with an extraneous object operates said reels to position and fire a cartridge.

10. In a railroad signal apparatus, a band carrying a plurality of spaced apart torpedoes, a pair of reels on which said band is operatively mounted, means for driving said reels, a pawl and ratchet mechanism, means for mounting said apparatus on a motor vehicle, an operating arm extending from said apparatus, and means whereby the actuating of said arm operates said sprocket drive through said pawl and ratchet mechanism to advance a torpedo to operative position and to fire the same.

11. In a railroad signal apparatus, a band carrying a plurality of spaced apart torpedoes, a pair of reels on which said band is operatively mounted, means for driving said reels in time with each other, a sprocket drive for said reels, a friction connection between one of said sprockets and reels, a pawl and ratchet mechanism, means for mounting said apparatus on a motor vehicle, an operating arm extending from said apparatus, and means whereby the actuating of said arm operates said sprocket drive through said pawl and ratchet mechanism to advance a torpedo to operative position and to fire the same, and means for preventing an over-feed of said band.

12. In a railway signal apparatus, a fieximovement of the vehicle.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature in presence of a witness.

CHARLES W. GILES.

Witness HOWARD E. BARLOW.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, 1). G. 

